Skipper predicts tight derby clash

3 October 2014

Michael Doyle expects the form book to go out of the window for Saturday's clash with Chesterfield at the Proact Stadium, kick-off 1pm.

The Blades skipper says the players expect the Spireites to be in confident mood, having carried on in Sky Bet League One, from where they left off in League Two and Doyle expects it to be a closely fought encounter in Derbyshire on Saturday lunchtime.

The captain remarked: "It is an old cliché, but the form book does go out of the window for derby fixtures and I don't think this one will be much different.

"They have had a good start, we are progressing nicely and they will be keen to give their supporters something to cheer, so it should be a good game.

"But it will probably be nip and tuck for long periods, especially early on, there won't be much between the sides, but we have to make sure we show the desire and application that should help us get on top the longer the game goes on."

Doyle, whose namesake Eoin, is the division's leading goalscorer with 11 league goals to his name already, is backing the Blades to have the ability to edge a tight encounter, but admits his team-mates will have to be at their best defensively to thwart Chesterfield's number 17.

The Irishman added: "We know we are always likely to nick a goal and as we have proved this season we never know when we are beaten, even at Swindon where we were extremely poor, we still threatened to mount a fightback.

"We have the ability and experience to win these type of fixtures, but we need to make sure we keep our concentration and defend properly as a team, because if not we have seen this season that we will be punished."